Filling carrier for shuttleless looms



y 7, 1963 B. E. GUlNDON 3,088,497

FILLING CARRIER FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed May 22, 1961.

INVENTOR. BERTRRND E. Gum/001v A TTORNEY United States Patent Draper Qorporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,836 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 139-122) This invention relates to shuttless looms and, more particularly, to a novel means of attaching filling carriers to their inserting members.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a fillng carrier that can be readily adapted or removed from its inserting member.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a detachable type carrier which avoids certain other methods of joining two elements as a unit which may, for example, include bolts, screws, rivets, soldering or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a filling carrier of the type herein described with yarn deflecting surfaces that will assure interference-free insertion of the carrier into the shed and withdrawal therefrom.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

In a shuttleless loom, that is, in that type of loom in which filling is supplied from an outside source and is not carried back and forth through the shed by a shuttle or the carrier itself, it is customary to introduce each pick of filling by two reciprocating elements, one of which will hereinafter be referred to as an inserter or inserting member, and the other of which receives or has transferred to it that loop of filling projected into the shed by the inserting member will hereinafter be referred to as a filling receiving or filling extending carrier.

These filling carriers are provided with the usual filling receiving notches through and across which the filling yarn is allowed to pass during the steps of inserting the filling at one side of the shed and extending the same to the opposite side.

The inserting member includes upper and lower filling receiving notches into which the filling yarn is received and guided as this member projects into the shed to meet and transfer a predetermined length of filling into the receiving notch of the extending carrier where it is then trapped and caused to be extended to the opposite selvage under a desired amount of tension.

These carriers are caused to insert and extend the filling yarn within the warp shed in a manner well known to those familiar with the art and it is considered sufficient at this point merely to call attention to a number of patents which are illustrative of the type of loom to which the instant invention is applicable. Reference is hereby made to the information disclosed in United States patents numbered 2,586,638; 2,604,123; 2,705,508; and 2,928,427.

According to the carrier of the instant invention, a novel means of attaching the carrier to its inserting means or flexible tape is provided which avoids certain other methods of joining two elements together as a unit which, for example, may include bolts, screws, rivets, soldering or the like. That portion of the flexible tape to which the carrier is attached is provided with a plurality of generally upwardly directed projections that form a part of the tape itself. The underside of the carrier at its trailing end is provided with an opening, the internal structure of which is adapted to accommodate some of the upwardly directed projections for anchoring and positioning the carrier when placed in operating position on the flexible tape. At least one of these projections is centrally located rearwardly of the carriers trailing end and is formed in such a manner as to project generally upwardly and forwardly from the tape. The free end of this projection is spring biased in the direction of the carrier and is caused to assume a position within a formed recess provided in the downwardly tapered top trailing surface of the carrier. This projection forms a part of the means for holding and positioning the carrier on the tape, as well as providing a camming means for deflecting the warp yarns of the upper warp sheet during withdrawal of the carrier from the shed.

The invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a filling carrier showing the novel means of attachment to the flexible tapes;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partially in section of the carrier and tape shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the flexible tape showing the generally upwardly directed projections for holding and positioning the carrier thereto;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the carrier and tape taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cut-away top view of the trailing end portion of the carrier showing the opening into which the majority of projections are adapted to extend and the formed recess into which the free end of at least one of said projections is adapted to be positioned;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the flexible tape taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, the filling carriers to which the present invention pertains are formed as detachable members at the free end of flexible carriers or tapes 10. The tapes are utilized to reciprocate the thread carrying members themselves which are caused to enter the shed formed by Warp threads and to be withdrawn therefrom. These tapes are made from a high grade of spring steel.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an inserting carrier generally indicated by numeral 11 which includes the conventional box-like structure having a top planar portion with a filling receiving notch 12 formed therein. Notch 12 coop crates with an offset filling receiving notch 13 formed in the forward underside portion of this structure. This forward underside portion is also cut away to an extent defined by the parallel sides 14 thus providing a recess or cut-out section for entry of the cooperating part of the filling extending carrier (not illustrated) which receives a loop of filling from the inserting carrier and extends it through the shed to complete the pick. This carrier except for its means of attachment to the flexible tape functions in the same manner and is formed substantially the same as the inserting carrier disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,586,638. The flexible tapes are provided at their free ends with a plurality of generally upwardly directed projections that are integrally formed thereon. The majority of these projections are adapted to assemble within an opening 15 provided on the underside of the carriers trailing end (FIGS. 1 and 5). These projections conform generally to the internal configuration of opening 15 and are caused to hold and position the carrier thereon in operating position. Projections 16 and 17 being in side-by-side relationship bear against the inner inclined side walls 16' and 17' of opening 15 as in FIG. 4 and in addition to assisting in holding the carrier in contact with the tape they serve to prevent any lateral movement of the carrier when assembled thereon. Forwardly of projections 16 and '17 a projection 18 which is in the form of a step is positioned within the confines of opening 15. The tread portion of this step shaped projection 18 overlies the inner forward end of opening 15 which along with this projection is formed on a substantial angle to the centerline axis of the carrier. The tread portion of projection 18, being in overlying relationship with the forward end of opening 15, serves to hold the carrier down against the flexible tape 10 and being on an angle as described above it assists in preventing lateral movement of said carrier when assembled thereto.

Rearwardly of the carriers position on the tape there is provided a generally upwardly and forwardly directed hook shaped projection 19 which is spring biased in the direction of the tape. The hook portion of this projection 19 is adapted to fit into a formed recess 20 provided in the carriers upper inclined trailing end 21. This projection being spring biased in the direction of the tape serves to hold the carrier in contact with said tape and in conjunction with projection 18 prevents lengthwise movement of the carrier when placed in operating position thereon. Additionally projection 19 serves as a warp yarn deflecting and carnming surface between the tape and the upper inclined trailing end 21 of the carrier itself thus assuring smooth and interference-free withdrawal of the carrier from the shed.

Carriers of the type herein described are readily adaptable for quick and easy removal and replacement of said carriers to their reciprocating elements while on a loom Without disturbing any settings of parts or mechanisms working in conjunction therewith. The carrier is assembled on the tape by causing projections 16 and 17 to enter opening slightly forwardly of their normal operating position. The carrier itself is then pushed rearwardly on the tape until the tread portion of projection 18 overlies the internal forward end of opening 15 and until the spring biased hooked portion of projection 19 snaps into place within the formed recess 20 provided on the upper inclined trailing end 21 of the carrier itself. To remove this carrier the hooked portion of projection 19 is raised a distance sufiicient to clear recess 20, the carrier is then drawn forwardly until projection 18 no longer overlies the forward end of opening 15. At this point the carrier can be twisted slightly by hand and removed.

Although by way of illustration the instant invention is shown applied only to a filling inserting carrier, it is to be understood that this novel means of attachment is equally adaptable to the filling extending carrier.

This invention has been described in more or less specific terms and by reference to its application to a particular type of shuttleless loom. It should be realized, however, that these looms take varying forms and instead of flexible tapes the carriers may be reciprocated by relatively stiff and straight elements such as needles and the actual carriers themselves and the filling handling devices may be drastically modified so long as the general principles of operation remain the same.

After initial assembly the lower surfaces of the tape and carrier are smoothed up and blended in so that they run over the warp threads with a minimum of friction and without tendency to scufl? these threads.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. For a loom having reciprocable carriers mounted on flexible tapes by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warps threads, a filling carrier detachably mounted to the free end of said tape, said tape being formed of spring steel and the means for retaining the carrier in position thereon comprising projections integral with and extending from said tape, and means on said carrier defining cooperating surfaces with which said projections have a resiliently maintained locking engagement.

2. For a loom having reciprocable carriers mounted n flexible tapes by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warps threads, a filling carrier detachably mounted to the free end of said tape, said tape being provided with a plurality of generally upwardly directed projections forming an integral part of said tape, said projections adapted to hold said carrier in operating position when attached thereto, some of said projections being adapted to prohibit lateral movement of said carrier on said tape and others of said projections being adapted to constrain said carrier into a tenacious relationship with said tape.

3. For a loom having reciprocable carriers mounted on flexible tapes by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling carrier adapted to be detachably mounted to the free end of said flexible tape, the underside of said carrier being provided at its trailing end with an opening for reception of a plurality of generally upwardly directed projections which form an integral part of said flexible tape, said opening having an internal configuration adapted to accommodate some of said projections for positioning and holding said carrier in operating position on said flexible tape.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein at least one of said projections serves as a means for holding said carrier against said tape and as a camming means for deflecting the Warp yarns of the upper Warp sheet during insertion of said carrier into said sheds and withdrawal therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,119 Tomkinson et al May 3, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,250 Great Britain May 5, 1932 

1. FOR A LOOM HAVING RECIPROCABLE CARRIERS MOUNTED ON FLEXIBLE TAPES BY WHICH FILLING FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE OF SUPPLY IS INSERTED WITHIN SHEDS FORMED BY WARPS THREADS, A FILLING CARRIER DETACHABLY MOUNTED TO THE FREE END OF SAID TAPE, SAID TAPE BEING FORMED OF SPRING STEEL AND THE MEANS FOR RETAINING THE CARRIER IN POSITION THEREON COMPRISING PROJECTIONS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FROM SAID TAPE, AND MEANS ON SAID CARRIER DEFINING COOPERATING SURFACES WITH WHICH SAID PROJECTIONS HAVE A RESILIENTLY MAINTAINED LOCKING ENGAGEMENT. 